The present invention relates to a softener composition.
Most of the commercially available merchandise as a softener composition for fibers are compositions comprising a quaternary ammonium salt containing two long-chain alkyl groups in one molecule and being typified by a di(long-chain alkyl) dimethyl ammonium chloride.
However, the quaternary ammonium salt described above suffers from the problem that, when residues thereof after a treatment is discharged into the environment such as a river, most of them are accumulated without biodegradation.
As an improved product against the above-mentioned problem, N-methyl-N,N-bis(long-chain alkanoyloxyethyl)-N-(2-hydroxyethyl) ammonium methyl sulfate, N,N-dimethyl-N,N-bis(alkanoyloxyethyl) ammonium chloride or the like is commercially available. Although the biodegradability of these products are improved as compared with that of the quaternary ammonium salt described above, the improved products cannot be said to be a basis for sufficiently satisfying a softening effect.
Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide a softener composition which contains a softening base having an excellent softening effect and satisfactory biodegradability.
That is, the softener composition of the present invention contains a base having a satisfactory biodegradability and has an excellent softening effect.
The present invention provides a softener composition comprising
(A) a nonionic compound which has at least one C5-36 alkyl or alkenyl group and an amide bond but contains no dissociative group of amino or carboxyl group; and
(B) at least one member selected among
(B-xcex1) cationic or ampholytic surfactants having one C5-36 alkyl or alkenyl group or one optionally substituted aryl group and
(B-xcex2) amino compounds having at least one C5-36 alkyl or alkenyl group and salts of the compounds; and it also provides a sheetlike softener for a dryer which is obtained by impregnating the softener composition into a sheetlike carrier.
Then, the softener composition of the present invention includes a composition wherein the component (A) has at least one C5-22 alkyl or alkenyl group and the component (B) is (B-xcex1) and has one C7-22 alkyl or alkenyl group or one optionally substituted aryl group.
The component (A) of the present invention is a nonionic compound which has at least one C5-36 alkyl or alkenyl group and an amide bond but contains no dissociative group of amino or carboxyl group; it is preferably a nonionic compound represented by the formula (I), (II) or (III) (hereinafter, referred respectively to as the nonionic compound (I), (II) or (III)) or a mixture thereof; and it is more preferably the nonionic surfactant (I) or (II): 
wherein R1 represents a linear or branched C5-35 alkyl or alkenyl group, R2 represents a hydrogen atom or xe2x80x94COR1, R3 represents a hydrogen atom, a C1-3 alkyl or hydroxyalkyl group, xe2x80x94(AO)mR2 or xe2x80x94Axe2x80x94NHCOR1, A represents an ethylene or propylene group and each of n and m represents a number selected from 1 to 10; 
wherein each of R1 and R2has the same meaning as defined above, R4 represents a hydrogen atom, a C1-3 alkyl or hydroxyalkyl group, B represents a group in which amino and hydroxyl groups are excluded from a C3-6 amino polyol and q represents an integer of 2 to 5, provided that qxe2x80xa2R2""s are the same or different; and 
wherein each of R1 and R4 has the same meaning as defined above and R5 represents a linear or branched C1-36 alkyl, alkenyl, hydroxyalkyl or hydroxyalkenyl group.
For example, the nonionic compound (I) is synthesized by amidation of a secondary amino alcohol such as diethanol amine, diisopropanol amine, N-methylethanol amine, a diamino alcohol such as aminoethylethanol amine, an amino alcohol such as ethanol amine with a fatty acid or a lower alkyl ester thereof, and if necessary addition of an alkylene oxide such as ethylene oxide and propylene oxide thereto, followed by esterification of the resultant product. In the occasion, the amidation and esterification may be carried out at the same time. The degree of acylation in total is preferably 1 to 2.5 and more preferably 1.5 to 2.3. The number of carbon atoms in an acyl moiety in the fatty acid or the lower alkyl ester thereof used here is preferably 6 to 36 and more preferably 8 to 18. For example, a fatty acid from a coconut, a tallow fatty acid, a hardened (or hydrogenated) tallow fatty acid, stearic acid from a palm or hardened stearic acid from a palm, or a lower alkyl ester thereof is particularly preferable. Further, a fat and/or oil such as a coconut oil, a tallow, a hardened tallow, a palm-stearin and a hardened palm-stearin may also be used.
The nonionic compound (I) is preferably a compound represented by the following formula (Ia), (Ib), (Ic) or (Id) or a mixture thereof: 
wherein each of R1 and n has the same meaning as mentioned above.
For example, the nonionic compound (II) is synthesized by amidation of an amino polyol such as amino propanediol, N-methylglucamine with a fatty acid or a lower alkyl ester thereof, followed by esterification of the resultant product. The degree of acylation in total is preferably 1 to 2.5 and more preferably 1.5 to 2.3. The fatty acid or the lower alkyl ester thereof for use is preferably the above-mentioned one.
The nonionic compound (II) is preferably a compound represented by the following formula (IIa) or (IIb) or a mixture thereof: 
wherein R1 has the same meaning as mentioned above.
For example, the nonionic compound (III) is synthesized by amidation of a long-chain fatty acid with a long-chain amine. The number of carbon atoms in the long-chain amine is preferably 6 to 36 and more preferably 8 to 18. For example, the long-chain amine is preferably a coconut amine, a tallow amine, a hardened tallow amine, a palm-stearin amine or a hardened palm-stearin amine, in particular. The fatty acid or the lower alkyl ester thereof for use is preferably the above-mentioned one.
The component (B) of the present invention is preferably a cationic surfactant represented by the formula (IV) (hereinafter, referred to as the cationic surfactant (IV)) or ampholytic surfactant represented by the formula (V) (hereinafter, referred to as the ampholytic surfactant (V))
On the other hand, the component (B) of the present invention is preferably an amino compound represented by the formula (VI) or (VII) (hereinafter, referred respectively to as the amino compound (VI) or (VII)), a salt thereof or a mixture thereof: 
wherein R6 represents a C1-3 alkyl or hydroxyalkyl group, R7 represents a linear or branched C5-36 alkyl or alkenyl group, xe2x80x94(CpH2p)xe2x80x94Yxe2x80x94COR8 or xe2x80x94(CpH2p)xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94Yxe2x80x94R9, p represents an integer of 1 to 6, Y represents O or NH, R8 represents a linear or branched C5-35 alkyl or alkenyl group or an optionally substituted aryl group, R9 represents a linear or branched C6-36 alkyl or alkenyl group or an optionally substituted aryl group and Xxe2x88x92 represents an anion, provided that 3xe2x80xa2R6""s are the same or different; 
wherein each of R6 and R7 has the meaning as mentioned above, E represents xe2x80x94R10xe2x80x94Z or O, R10 represents a C1-6 alkylene or hydroxyalkylene group and Z represents xe2x80x94COO, xe2x80x94OSO3, xe2x80x94SO3, xe2x80x94OPO3 or xe2x80x94PO3; 
wherein R11 and R12 are the same or different and each of R11 and R12 represents a hydrogen atom, a C1-3 alkyl, hydroxyalkyl or aminoalkyl group or xe2x80x94(AO)nH, each of A and n has the meaning as mentioned above and R13 represents a C5-36 alkyl or alkenyl group into which an ester-, amide- or ether- linkage (or bonding group) maybe inserted (or which may be interrupted by an ester-, amide- or ether- linkage); 
wherein R14 represents a C5-36 alkyl or alkenyl group into which an ester-, amide- or ether- bonding group may be inserted, R15 represents a hydrogen atom, a C1-3 alkyl, hydroxyalkyl or aminoalkyl group.
The cationic surfactant (IV) includes a long-chain alkyl trimethyl ammonium chloride, a long-chain alkyl (2-hydroxyethyl) dimethyl ammonium chloride and a long-chain alkyl di(2-hydroxyethyl) methyl ammonium chloride. The number of carbon atoms in the long-chain alkyl group is 5 to 36 and preferably 8 to 18. Then, a coconut alkyl, a tallow alkyl or the like is also preferable.
Further, one in which a long-chain is interrupted (or discontinues) by an ester or amide bond is also preferable. A long-chain alkanoyloxyethyl group, a long-chain alkanoyl amino propyl group, a long-chain alkoxycarbonylmethyl group, a long-chain alkylaminocarbonylmethyl group or the like is preferable in particular. A long-chain alkyl or acyl group has 5 to 36 carbon atoms and preferably 8 to 18 carbon atoms. Then, one which is derived from a coconut oil, a tallow, a palm-stearin or the like is also preferable..
The ampholytic surfactant (V) includes a long-chain alkyl dimethyl betaine, a sulfobetaine, phosphobetaine and a long-chain alkyldimethyl amineoxide. A preferable instance of the long-chain alkyl group is another preferable instance of the long-chain alkyl group in the cationic surfactant (IV).
The amino compound (VI) includes a long-chain alkyl or alkenyl amine, a long-chain alkyl or alkenyl dimethyl amine, a long-chain alkyl or alkenyl di(2-hydroxyethyl) amine or an alkylene oxide adduct and a long-chain alkyl or alkenyl propane diamine. The long-chain alkyl or alkenyl group has preferably 6 to 36 carbon atoms and more preferably 8 to 18 carbon atoms. A coconut alkyl or tallow alkyl is preferable. The long-chain alkyl or alkenyl group into which an ester-, amide- or ether-bonding group may be inserted is preferable. A long-chain alkanoyloxyethyl group, a long-chain alkanoylaminopropyl group, a long-chain alkanoylaminoethyl group, a long-chain alkoxycarbonylmethyl group or a long-chain alkylaminocarbonylmethyl group is preferable, in particular. A long-chain alkyl, alkenyl or acyl group has preferably 6 to 36 carbon atoms and more preferably 8 to 18 carbon atoms. One which has been derived from a coconut oil, a tallow, a palm-stearin or the like is also preferable.
The amino compound (VII) is synthesized by condensing (or concentrating) an N-substituted ethylene diamine such as N-methyl ethylene diamine, N-(2-hydroxyethyl) ethylene diamine and diethylene triamine with a fatty acid and cyclizing the resultant. The number of carbon atoms in an acyl moiety in the fatty acid is preferably 6 to 36 and more preferably 8 to 18. A fatty acid from a coconut, a tallow fatty acid, a hardened tallow fatty acid, stearic acid from a palm or hardened stearic acid from a palm, or a lower alkyl ester thereof is particularly preferable. Further, a fat and/or oil such as a coconut oil, a tallow, a hardened tallow, a palm-stearin and a hardened palm-stearin may also be used.
The salt of the amino compound can be synthesized in a usual manner by neutralizing with an inorganic or organic acid such as hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, acetic acid, glycolic acid and citric acid.
The blending ratio of the components (A) and (B-xcex1) in the composition of the present invention is preferably 1/9 to 9/1 and more preferably 5/5 to 8/2 by weight. On the other hand, the blending ratio of the components (A) and (B-xcex2) in the composition of the present invention is preferably 1/9 to 9/1 and more preferably 2/8 to 8/2 by weight.
These components can be formed into the liquid softener composition of the present invention by dispersing them in a total amount of 3 to 50% by weight in water. In this case, the components (A) and (B) may be mixed and then introduced into water or they may be introduced one after another into water. Alternatively, the respective components may be separately dispersed in water and then mixed.
The dispersion of the softener composition of the present invention with water has preferably pH of 2 to 5 in view of a dispersibility and storage stability of the amino compound.
A higher alcohol or higher fatty acid can be added in order to further improve a softening performance. A lower alcohol such as ethanol and isopropanol, glycol or polyol as well as an ethylene oxide or propylene oxide adduct thereof can be added as a storage stabilizer. Furthermore, a usual nonionic surfactant, an inorganic salt, a pH adjuster, a hydrotropic agent, a perfume, a defoaming agent, a pigment and the like can be added if necessary.
Then, a sheetlike softener for a dryer can be obtained by impregnating them into a sheetlike carrier. The sheetlike carrier used here includes a non-woven fabric.
An impregnating amount in total of the components (A) and (B) mentioned above is preferably 1 to 50% by weight as compared with the sheetlike carrier.